Generators such as used in wind turbines have to withstand high mechanical loads during operation. Particularly, large-scaled generators have to encounter huge axial and/or radial forces during operation, which forces are challenging for the generator support structure, i.e. respective support structures of the rotor and/or the stator in the shape of respective rotor end plates and/or stator end plates. Thereby, a concrete problem is the maintenance of a constant air-gap between the rotor and the stator.
Hence, the support structure of the generator, i.e. particularly respective essentially radially extending rotor end plates and/or stator end plates, must be sufficiently stable so as to withstand structural loads or vibrations. Particularly, a collision of the rotor and the stator which would lead to considerable damage of the generator as a whole has to be avoided.
The known approaches of support structures of modern, particularly large-scaled, generators are oftentimes not satisfying regarding their mechanical stability.